Submarine mine.



E. SCHNEIDER.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1915.

1,153,830. PatentedSept. '14, 1915.

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EUGENE SCHNEIDER, or rams, FRANCE.

SUBMARINE MINE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Application filed. April 13, 19,15. Serial No. 21,161.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SoHNEIpnR, resident of Paris, France, citizen of the Republic of France, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Submarine Mines, which are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to safety devices for submarine blockading mines in which firing is effected upon impact with a ships hull by the displacement of a striker subjected to the action of a previously tensioned spring.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide improved means for rendering the mine inoperative when the cable connecting the float with the mooring anchor is no longer taut; this result is particularly desirable in case of rupture of this cable, in which event the float returns to the surface, floats away freely and would constitute a danger to navigation if it were not rendered harmless at this moment.

According to my invention the primer that is to be ignited by the shock of the striker, is of peculiar construction and is mounted upon a movable element independent of the movement of the striker and is subjected to the action of the tension of the cable and constructed in such a manner as to place the primer out of reach of the striker so long as the cable retaining the float is not taut. Moreover, in a practical embodiment of the invention, this safety device may be combined with a locking device which prevents any movement of the striker under the influence of its spring. It is only released under the influence of the movable primer or of its support.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect I will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section of the mine showing the parts in the position that they occupy when the cable is not taut. Fig. 2 shows the same parts in the position that they occupy when the cable is taut. Fig. 3 is a section on the line I I at the upper portion of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the points of the striker.

The casing for the primer charge B provided with two primers Z) and 6 slides in a tube a which may constitute an inner sleeve to the casing containing the explosive charge A. At its lower part the casing is connected to two levers 0 and c pivoted by two pivots o, c integral with the body C of the mine float; the levers 0 0 are connected by pivots 0*, c to arod D through the intermediary of a member (Z. The rod D which is suitably guided in the float protrudes from the latter through a mobile water tight joint (Z and carries a shackle E to which the cable F connecting the float with the anchor, is attached. A spring a? hearing at one end upon a fixed part (i integral with the float and at the other end upon a suitable shoulder on the member (Z, tends to press the latter upward. The upper part of the casing carries two pins Z), Z) located opposite the lower arms of two bellcrank levers g, g pivoted at g and g to a part 9 fixed to the shaft G upon which the striker H slides; two springs 9 g fixed by one of their extremities to the member 9 tend to return the levers to the position shown in Fig. 1. In this positionthe upper arms of the bell crank levers block the striker and prevent its downward displacement.

The striker H is subjected to the action of a spring in and is provided with two points h 7&2 (Fig. 3) arranged opposite the primers 6, b and capable of firing the said primers, when, the striker being released in a known manner by the shock of a ships hull, is projected under the influence of the spring 72.; this presupposes that the primers are at a suitable distance from the striker as hereinafter explained.

When the cable F is taut (Fig. 2) the primer casing B is raised to its highest position by the intermediary of the rod D, the member OZ and the levers 0 o (the spring d being compressed) in this position the pins 6 6 lift the lower arms of the bell crank levers g, g and press aside the upper arms which release the striker. If, at this moment the float receives from a ship a shock which causes the firing mechanism to act that is to say releases the striker (the cable remaining taut) the striker will be projected on to the primers which it will encounter at the proper distance. If as sometimes happens, the shock produces a movement of the float as a result of which the cable ceases to be taut, the striker will nevertheless be released by the firing mechanism which acts under the influence of the shock. As the cable is not taut however, the primers are out of reach of the striker (Fig. l) and known 1. At the moment at which the shock occurs, it renders eventual operation (the percussion of theprimers by the striker) possible, without the intervention of a dash pot V or similar device even when the shock of the ship upon the float of the mine momentarily destroys the tension in the cable which connects the said float with the anchor.

52. In raising the mine in the usual manner two-fold security is afforded against inopportune explosion owing to the fact; (a) of the blocking of the striker and (b) of the separation of the striker from the primer. The delicate operation of raising a line of moored mines is thus rendered far less dangerous than heretofore and the operator is not at the mercy ofthe rupture or of the deformation of a single spring as with the known devices. 7

3. For the reasons already explained the harmlessness of a minefloat that has floated away after the rupture of its cable, is better insured by the two-fold security of theherein described device.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A safety device for. submarine mines adapted to be anchored by a cable comprising a contact striking member, a primer holder, and spring-pressed means normally holding said primer out of striking distance of the striking member and adapted to be connected with the mine cable, said spring These levers are not pressed aside 7 'means yielding to the traction of said cable to move the primer holder into striking distance of said striking member.

2. A safety device for submarine mines vadapted to be anchored by a cable comprising a contact striking member provided with 7 locking means, a primer holder, and yielding means normally holding said primer holder out of striking distance of said striking member, and adapted to be connected with the mine cable, said means yielding to the traction of said cable to move said holder into striking distance of said striking memher and to-release said striking means.

3. A safety device for submarine mines adapted to be anchored bya cable, comprising a contact striker, a movable member adapted to supporta primer in the path of said striker, a spring-pressed rod ha'ving lever connections with said member and having a connection for said cable, said spring adapted to normallyhold said member out of firing position and to yield under the traction of the cable to move said memher into firing position.

' 4:. A safety device for submarine mines adapted to be anchored by acable comprising a contact striker having yielding lock ing means, a movable member adapted to support a primer in the path of said striker, a spring-pressed rod having lever connections with said member and having a connection for said cable, said spring adapted to normally hold said member out of firing 1 position, to yield under traction of the cable to movesaid member into firing position and release said locking'ineans.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE soHNEmE-E. Witnessesf 7, 7

DE WVITT C. POOL Jr., 7 R. DE SEVELINGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five/cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G. 

